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Chapter 6
John and Natalie had spent the whole night laying in each others arms without even realizing it, John hadn't remembered the last night he had such a good night sleep, he woke and when he realized it he started to gently pull his arms off of her sleeping body but something inside him stop him. He in turn nuzzled up closer to her for a few minutes as she continued to sleep, he didn't want to let go yet, not just yet, it felt right, it felt comfortable, he loved the way it felt.
Natalie started to wake and she couldn't remember where she was for a minute then she felt his arms around her and wondered how and when that had occurred, the last thing she remembered was her laying down across his lap and getting comfortable. She started to slowly move out of his gripe so not to wake him when she successfully out of his arms. His arms felt good around her and she had never remembered feeling as safe, ever, as she felt right here, right now. But.. but as much as she would have loved to continue to feel like that, she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. They were friends, they could only be friends, he was at a different place in his life than she, he was ready for different stuff and Natalie wasn't even entertaining those things in her life yet.
John felt her get out of his arms and he already ached from the distance. He was awake when she did but didn't want her to feel uncomfortable so he pretended to still be sleeping, he heard her walk up the stairs and then he got up off the couch.
John started to clean up the living room when he heard her coming down the steps fifteen minutes later, she was showered and dressed, her hair was still wet and she had her bag in her hand.
"You're up" she told him as she walked closer to him
"Yep, just straightening up" he told her and they were both silent for a few minutes when she started to stutter to get her words out.
"Well...well... Thanks for letting me spend the night, I had fun, talk to ya later" she told him and she started to walk out the door, he grabbed her shoulder as he told her to stop
"Wait" he told her with his hand still on her shoulder
"What " she answered quickly not wanting to leave just yet.
"Do you have time for breakfast? " he asked as he saw her face give him a skeptical look.
"Come on, just breakfast, I kinda like having you around, I like the company" he told her and she smiled.
"I don't think its such a good idea John, maybe this wasn't a good idea, I think maybe I gave you the wrong impression or maybe you are sorry about us being friends, and me spending the night here made things harder, worse."
"No, No they didn't, actually I wanted to talk to you about that, about you spending the night, where are you going to stay for now on?"
"What do you mean, where am I going to stay for now on, at the apartment with Roxy, I can't afford to stay anywhere else, not with barely scraping the money together for school" she told him quietly as they both stood near the door.
"Well... I have a .. A solution, well I think it's a solution"
"A solution to what, there needs to be a problem before there's a solution"
"The solution to you not living with your mom any more, and I know before you start, she's your mom, but..But its not good for you, you know, to have to be put in that spot to take care of her and her drunk boyfriends, to be attacked like that, like the other night and although you didn't actually come out and say so I know it has happened before." he told her as he watched her eyes and knew he was right
"John" she started to say something but he stopped her
"Just listen alright, we get along great, we could be company for each other, I mean.. I don't have any family around and .. and well it might be nice having some one around once an awhile to just talk to or.. or just sit with in comfortable silence"
"John, what exactly are you getting at, cause maybe I'm confused but it sounds like you are asking me to move in here.. and with you"
"That's because I am.. and wait before you go saying you can't afford it, I already pay the bills here, the mortgage has been paid my mom owns the house, it wouldn't cost you anything and ... and... and it would just be tow friends who get along well together being roommates" he saw her already shaking her head NO!
"Just think about it alright, let me know, really think about it, you could live here with me as a friend, I'm not expecting anything else, nothing in return, just companionship, something we both are lacking, I'm even a really good cook and..." John was rambling on and on, and on when she shut him up
"Can you just shut up already? Man, I never heard a guy go on so much before, do you ever stop talking? " She said and they both laughed
"If I promise to think about it will you just shut up?" she again was laughing and joking, she smiled at him, he returned the smile.
"I've really gotta go" she told him as she again started towards the door, she got a hold of the handle and then he placed his hand on top of it, he looked at her, she looked first on his hand and then up at his face.
"Pool later or a movie?' he asked as she smiled as she shook her head
"I have to study," she told him
"Okay, I'll make dinner and you can study while I cook and then if there's time we can watch a movie" he told her now matching her smile
"Maybe we'll see, can I have my hand back?" she asked, he shook his head no.
"I really need to go now"
"Only if you promise to give me an answer tonight about the moving in thing Roomie"
Later that night John had made them dinner as she studied comfortably in the Living room, Natalie couldn't believe how comfortable she felt in his home, with him, in his arms even. She had just met him a little over a week ago and they seem to have some sort of bond, connection, something, she was unsure what exactly to call it but it was something.
As she continued to study her chemistry book she noticed he came out and sat next to her on the couch, sat without words and just watched her, she ignored him for a minute and then turned her head to meet his eye's that were on her.
"What?" she asked him as she smiled
"Dinners ready"
"Well why didn't you just say so?"
"I didn't want to interrupt your studying, just incase you were into something challenging and important, you know .. Wanted to show you that I would be respectful, you know just incase you do decide to move in here" he said still hinting at her moving in here, she smiled at him and ignored his comments as she got up and went to the table, he followed her over and they ate dinner.
An hour later dinner had gone well, they laughed and ate, talked and relaxed, it was fun and light, things with her were fun and light, every time he was around her he was just...just.. happy. He thought and he had to almost bite his tongue from thinking that, he was just getting annoyed at his partner for saying how much of a better mood he was in because of her. He had been talking no stop to Brian his partner about her since he met her and Brian would tease him non stop about her, tell him that if he hadn't known better Johnny was falling, and falling fast for her. He shook his head knowing, knowing how wise Brian was at this moment, especially as he watched her clear the table and start cleaning the dishes.
John clear a few things off the kitchen table himself and brought them over to her to wash, he handed a plate to her, there fingers touched as she took the plate from his hand and they looked into each others eye's. After a few frozen seconds he spoke with the smile still on his face
"You're so good at this," he told her
"What? Dishes?" she questioned at first but then spoke again as she turned the water off.
"John, I think we need to talk, talk about me moving in here"
"Have you decided?"
"No, no really but I do think its a mistake actually, I think us hanging around so much is a mistake, it..it could lead to bigger problems in the long run and I'm not really in any need for any bigger ones"
"Don't beat around it Nat, that's not you just say it"
"I think you are looking for more than just a roommate, a friend, from what I've learned from you over this last week, you've... well you're ready to have a life, a life with someone, your at that age where its appropriate and your clock is ticking so to speak." she told him, he stared into her eye's, how did she know me so well he asked himself as she began to speak again.
"I can't give you what you want, I'm not ready for those same things, its just a waste of time for you to be hanging around me so much, it just keeps you from meeting someone that will be all the things you are looking for in life, someone that is on the same page as you...I think its best if we put the offer of staying here, living here to rest, lets not even consider it"
"So you were considering it weren't you?" he told her and she shook her head.
"Did you hear a word I just said?" she said as she laughed at him for a second.
"Yes, I heard you loud and clear, and as for what you said..foooeeee"
"Fooooeee, okay and how old are you?" she again laughed this time even harder.
"Listen, I know what you said and I understand your concerns but .. but.. I enjoy our friendship; I've never had someone I can talk to as freely as you. As openly as you, I'm comfortable with you and we have been having more fun than I ever remember having ever, so... so I promise it will be all friendship, I will not ask for more not...not unless you ask first" he said almost hesitantly as if waiting for her to answer, to say she might want more but she didn't.
"So what do you say? Come on you know you want to, look at how nice this place is, warm, and look at how comfortable you are studying here. It will be fine." he asked her trying so desperately to convince her to.
After a few more minutes she walked away from him, went into the living room, she went out to the car, he walked closer to the window and saw her go into her car and bring out a few boxes, a huge smile formed across his face. He walked out the front door and helped her with her boxes.
They walked up the stairs in silence as he still wore the grin on his face. She looked at him.
"Are you going to be grinning like that the whole time I live with you, cause its gonna get old and fast" she told him, he smiled and she then laughed.
